CoBrite

Python driver for ID Photonics CoBrite tunable laser controllers (DX, DX2, MX). Wraps the SCPI-over-TCP interface exposed on port 2000.

Installation

pip install cobrite
uv add cobrite

Quick start

from cobrite import CoBrite

cb = CoBrite(address="192.168.1.99", port=2000, timeout=20)
cb.open()

print(cb.idn())
print(cb.format_layout())

cb.set_wavelength(1550.0, chassis=1, slot=1, device=1)
cb.set_power(11.0, chassis=1, slot=1, device=1)
cb.set_state(True, chassis=1, slot=1, device=1)
cb.busy_wait(chassis=1, slot=1, device=1)

print(cb.get_actual_power(1, 1, 1)[0][-1])

cb.close()

Connecting

CoBrite(
    address="cobrite.local",  # hostname or IP
    port=2000,
    timeout=10,               # seconds; must exceed laser tuning time
    max_retries=3,            # parse retries per response
    open=False,               # True to call open() immediately
)

open() resolves the hostname, opens a PyVISA TCPIP socket, fetches the device layout, and resets the session parameters (INTI). close() disables all laser ports and disconnects.

Port addressing (CSD)

Most commands take chassis, slot, and device integers. Passing 0 (the default) expands to all known ports at that level — this is called CSD interpolation.

# Target one specific port
cb.set_state(True, chassis=1, slot=1, device=1)

# Enable every port in slot 1 of chassis 1
cb.set_state(True, chassis=1, slot=1, device=0)

# Enable every port on the unit
cb.set_state(True)           # all default to 0
cb.set_state(True, 0, 0, 0) # equivalent

# Query all ports — returns a tuple of (chassis, slot, device, value) tuples
for c, s, d, pwr in cb.get_power():
    print(f"  {c},{s},{d}: {pwr:.2f} dBm")

The device layout is discovered automatically via layout() during open(). Zero is expanded recursively using the cached layout, so address resolution never hits the device at query time.

API styles

Explicit CSD style

Every command is a regular method call with positional or keyword CSD arguments. Query methods return tuple[tuple[int, int, int, T], ...] — one entry per matched port.

cb.set_wavelength(1550.0, 1, 1, 1)
cb.set_power(11.0, 1, 1, 1)

wav   = cb.get_wavelength(1, 1, 1)[0][-1]   # float, nm
freq  = cb.get_frequency(1, 1, 1)[0][-1]    # float, THz
pwr   = cb.get_power(1, 1, 1)[0][-1]        # float, dBm

limits = cb.get_limits(1, 1, 1)[0][-1]
# {'freq_min': ..., 'freq_max': ..., 'offset_range': ..., 'pow_min': ..., 'pow_max': ...}

mon = cb.get_monitor(1, 1, 1)[0][-1]
# {'ld_chip_temp': ..., 'base_temp': ..., 'ld_current_ma': ..., 'tec_current_ma': ...}

Active port + property style

Select a port once with set_active_port(), then use Python properties.

cb.set_active_port(1, 1, 1)

cb.wavelength = 1550.0
cb.power = 11.0
cb.offset = 0.0
cb.state = True
cb.busy_wait(1, 1, 1)

print(cb.wavelength)       # float, nm
print(cb.frequency)        # float, THz
print(cb.actual_power)     # measured output, dBm
print(cb.monitor)          # dict with thermal and current readings
print(cb.laser_alarm)      # int alarm code

Read-only properties: actual_power, wavelength_limits, frequency_limits, power_limits, offset_limits, limits, monitor, laser_alarm.

Read-write properties: wavelength, frequency, power, offset, state, dither, laser_config, trigger_out_active, trigger_config.

Atomic config

Set all laser parameters in a single SCPI command:

# Explicit CSD
cb.set_config(
    frequency=193.1,
    offset=0.0,
    power=11.0,
    state=False,
    dither=-1,
    chassis=1, slot=1, device=1,
)

# Property (active port must be set first)
cb.laser_config = {
    "frequency": 193.1,
    "offset": 0.0,
    "power": 11.0,
    "state": False,
    "dither": -1,
}

get_config() / cb.laser_config return a dict with keys frequency, offset, power, state, busy, dither.

Waiting for tuning

# Server-side blocking wait — preferred
cb.busy_wait(1, 1, 1)

# Client-side poll (used internally by set_* methods unless wait=False)
cb.wait(1, 1, 1)

Pass wait=False to skip the poll and batch commands manually:

cb.set_wavelength(1550.0, 1, 1, 1, wait=False)
cb.set_power(11.0, 1, 1, 1, wait=False)
cb.busy_wait(1, 1, 1)

Level-1 commands

Some commands require a password (user level 1). The library prompts for the password automatically the first time a level-1 method is called in a session, then caches the authentication until close() or init_interface() is called.

print(cb.get_trigger_delay())  # ms — no auth required
cb.set_trigger_delay(10)       # level 1 — prompts once, caches for session

cb.set_lockout(True)           # block other sessions from writing
cb.set_lockout(False)

cb.default_settings()          # factory laser defaults (not network)
# cb.reset()                   # warm restart — drops the connection

Logging in without a prompt

For automated scripts, store the password in a file (one password per line, only the first non-empty line is read) and call login_from_file() before using any level-1 commands:

cb.login_from_file("/run/secrets/cobrite_password")  # level=1 by default
cb.set_trigger_delay(10)   # no prompt
cb.set_lockout(True)

The file should contain only the password, with no other content:

s3cr3tpassword

login_from_file() returns the granted user level (same as login()). It sets the same internal cache, so subsequent level-1 calls in the same session will not prompt or re-read the file.

Level-1 system commands: reset, clear_status, default_settings, default_ip_config, set_dhcp, set_ip_address, set_netmask, set_gateway_ip, set_dns_ip, set_lockout, set_start_default, set_enable_autostart, set_trigger_delay, set_trigger_polarity, set_password.

Level-1 port commands: set_trigger_out_active, set_trigger_config.

Retry on parse failure

When the device returns a malformed response, the library retries the query up to max_retries times (default 3) before raising RuntimeError. This covers both type-conversion failures and wrong field counts in multi-value responses.

You can apply the same retry logic to your own methods:

@CoBrite.retry
def my_query(self: CoBrite) -> float:
    ...

# Or with an explicit limit, overriding self.max_retries
@CoBrite.retry(max_retries=5)
def my_query(self: CoBrite) -> float:
    ...

Diagnostics

cb.idn()             # identification string
cb.format_layout()   # human-readable chassis/slot/device tree
cb.full_info()       # layout + current freq / power / state per port

cb.get_alarm()       # system alarm code (int)
cb.get_error()       # last error string
cb.get_interlock()   # False = interlock OK, laser can be enabled
cb.get_temp()        # {'chassis', 'slot', 'device', 'temp'} — hottest laser
cb.get_fan()         # fan level string

cb.manual()          # open the CoBrite manual in the browser

Logging

Uses the standard logging module under the cobrite logger at WARNING level by default. To see raw SCPI traffic:

import logging
logging.getLogger("cobrite").setLevel(logging.DEBUG)